Email security issues, spam and viruses
My gripe is about security, or rather the lack of any security on the Internet and the intransigence of Internet Service Providers.
Just lately I have been receiving a large number of unsolicited emails from various adult sites, drug sites selling Viagra, phishing sites from all the major banks and of course people wanting to launder money through my bank account.
Fed up with all of this unwanted spam, I asked my Internet service provider (AOL) to do something about the nuisance emails. Unfortunately they have not really offered a satisfactory solution to the problem and the only reply I have received was that I should “put them on a blocked sender list."
Since I am getting at least half a dozen emails of this type a day, I would probably end up spending more time blocking unsolicited emails than actually using the Internet to surf.
I have asked AOL to change my username as it has obviously been compromised and they advised me that this would not be possible. I told them that I would prefer to cancel my account that case.
They are now refusing to cancel my account regardless of the fact that I have been a customer since 2003 and have said that the reason I cannot cancel is because I upgraded to a platinum account in April this year.
By: Bob
Comments from visitors
The Internet is the modern Tower of Babel. God will ultimately strike it down. It is already full of Babble anyway.
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Plain of Shinar - 19-Jul-11 07:56
Try using the Mozilla Thunderbird email client. It has quite good built in junk mail filtering that you can 'train' by marking mail as junk so that it will know in the future. You can also set up filters, e.g. to put any mail with a particular word in the address into the junk or waste folder. It is free & I'm sure a quick look on a search engine will bring up the website.
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I am a long-time AOL user and have few problems with spam -- just the occasional one. What I do have a problem with is telehone "spam" -- endless calls over many months, mainly from people acting on behalf of the Rogers company. They almost never leave a message on the voice mail. They must have spent hundreds of dollars harassing me.
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grumpyoldwoman
No, it is not just you - I am irritated by the increasing number of people who telephone me and ask 'security questions'.
I am ex-directory and registered with the Telephone Preference Service so I always ask the caller how they obtained my number, this usually results in the caller hanging up immediately. If they refuse to answer the question or give some feeble excuse like "you completed a survey form" (I never do) then I hang up.
If, on the rare occasion that the caller has obtained my number from a valid source e.g. a friend and it is company which is of interest to me I ask for their telephone number and call them, usually there is no problem with this and the telephone number is often a toll-free one.
No, it is not just you - I am irritated by the increasing number of people who telephone me and ask 'security questions'.
I am ex-directory and registered with the Telephone Preference Service so I always ask the caller how they obtained my number, this usually results in the caller hanging up immediately. If they refuse to answer the question or give some feeble excuse like "you completed a survey form" (I never do) then I hang up.
If, on the rare occasion that the caller has obtained my number from a valid source e.g. a friend and it is company which is of interest to me I ask for their telephone number and call them, usually there is no problem with this and the telephone number is often a toll-free one.
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This is more about telephone security, but it started with aol & I can't find a more appropriate gripe, so here goes.
I had a call a couple of days ago from someone claiming to be calling from aol. He then asked me to answer some security questions. I said " Hang on, you called me! Why do I have to give you my details?" He explained that they needed to verify that I was the account holder. Was I likely to be an intruder who'd temporarily stopped burgling my house to answer the phone? I refused as I didn't know if he really was from aol, and added that if it was sales call
I wasn't interested anyway.
I have emailed aol and they told me it's standard practice. I then called the data protection office who told me that alot of companies and banks do this now.
So... we are supposed to be security conscious and not give out pesonal details over the phone unless we know who we are talking to; but if someone claiming to be from our bank, isp, or any utility company calls us we are supposed to give them personal details. They apparently don't have to prove who they are.
Is this mad or is it me?
I had a call a couple of days ago from someone claiming to be calling from aol. He then asked me to answer some security questions. I said " Hang on, you called me! Why do I have to give you my details?" He explained that they needed to verify that I was the account holder. Was I likely to be an intruder who'd temporarily stopped burgling my house to answer the phone? I refused as I didn't know if he really was from aol, and added that if it was sales call
I wasn't interested anyway.
I have emailed aol and they told me it's standard practice. I then called the data protection office who told me that alot of companies and banks do this now.
So... we are supposed to be security conscious and not give out pesonal details over the phone unless we know who we are talking to; but if someone claiming to be from our bank, isp, or any utility company calls us we are supposed to give them personal details. They apparently don't have to prove who they are.
Is this mad or is it me?
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grumpyoldwoman - 9-Oct-09 09:03
That's helpful, Terry.
"and where possible, stick to official websites."
What is an 'official website'? How does one recognise such an animal?
"and where possible, stick to official websites."
What is an 'official website'? How does one recognise such an animal?
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I don't think the internet is safe. Ignore any emails whose sender you don't know, and where possible, stick to official websites.
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To update this I managed to get another service provider and waited 10 days for my line to be purged in order not to need a migration code(most isp's dont't tell you that the line legaly has to be cleared) and was useing it o.k.
The only thing is that Orange took a cacellation fee from my bank account using my debit card details without notifying me or gaining my permission.They used these details from a previous transaction.
So be very carefull with Orange as they tend to stick their fingers in the till in order to get money out of you.Also I judge an isp by their Technical support which in Oranges case is non existant.
The only thing is that Orange took a cacellation fee from my bank account using my debit card details without notifying me or gaining my permission.They used these details from a previous transaction.
So be very carefull with Orange as they tend to stick their fingers in the till in order to get money out of you.Also I judge an isp by their Technical support which in Oranges case is non existant.
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After the initial 12 months and being coerced into another 12 months at a cheaperrate that was when things started going wrong.And Oranges so called support staff I found to be inept ill mannered and downright stupid.I had a friend who needed their help and she ended up in tears because of their ill mannered and forcefule aproch towards customer service.The sooner I can lose them the better.
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Have been with Orange broadband for 12 months and have had little trouble with sex,drug related or fraud money laundering emails.
Also I have had little connection or technical problems.
Don't regret leaving AOL one bit. I still check AOL mail occasionally and remove all the rubbish phishing and drug,sex related mails but would never go back to using them as an ISP again.
Also I have had little connection or technical problems.
Don't regret leaving AOL one bit. I still check AOL mail occasionally and remove all the rubbish phishing and drug,sex related mails but would never go back to using them as an ISP again.
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Hello Bob
Have you tried a free program called "mailwasher" just google those word's.This program shows e-mail's without letting the sender knowing you have veiwed them and block's all spam and you can bounce them back to sender as if your e-mail address is closed so the spammer cant bother you and the person who's pc he's controlling to send these e-mail's will now be aware he's hacked.Ive got the same problem's you have and these people persist then drop off for week's and then try again but the e-mail addresses they use are shocking as these are people's pc's who are not protected.If you or any other person out there want's a decent software security package for free with no catche's whatsoever then try "comodo" (just google that word)a company giving away lifetime subscription's with updates to all there antivirus&firewall software etc.If you want something else try microsoft for there free version for 9 month's of the same package they sell at present for around £45,just google windows live onecare.Spyware remover's are ad-aware se personal and spybot search and destroy who work wonder's and dont require rocket science and are both free.
Have you tried a free program called "mailwasher" just google those word's.This program shows e-mail's without letting the sender knowing you have veiwed them and block's all spam and you can bounce them back to sender as if your e-mail address is closed so the spammer cant bother you and the person who's pc he's controlling to send these e-mail's will now be aware he's hacked.Ive got the same problem's you have and these people persist then drop off for week's and then try again but the e-mail addresses they use are shocking as these are people's pc's who are not protected.If you or any other person out there want's a decent software security package for free with no catche's whatsoever then try "comodo" (just google that word)a company giving away lifetime subscription's with updates to all there antivirus&firewall software etc.If you want something else try microsoft for there free version for 9 month's of the same package they sell at present for around £45,just google windows live onecare.Spyware remover's are ad-aware se personal and spybot search and destroy who work wonder's and dont require rocket science and are both free.
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aol advised me for nearly a year to send my unwanted drug related e-mails to Cosmail 1 and Cosmail 2...I sent hundreds...when they did nothing...they then stated that Cosmail 1 and Cosmail 2 were only for Americans that had drug related e-mail problems...then they asked me to use Cosuk and Cosfiles...guess what...I sent dozens and they still do nothing...aol have been infiltrated by druggies and they cannot solve my problem.
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same as bob...drug nuisance e-mails on aol...hundreds...yes...hundreds In a 12 month period...they mainly come from Canada...aol say they can do nothing about them...yet I pay £24.99 a month for drug e-mails...aol should be held responsible..It Is ruining my enjoyment of broadband connection...they will not let me change my main screen name to stop them...aol Is not a helpful broadband provider.
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I have tried to stop these annoying drug related e-mails...having sent AOL over 70 e-mails to cosmail 1 and cosmail 2 asking for action...with no reply...AOL has been infiltrated...so it could be anyones turn next...I am leaving aol for a more reputable provider...It is just not acceptable when most of your time is taken up fighting SPAM !!...AOL are just not interested !!
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I have spent most of today trying to find some way of cancelling my Google mail account. It appears hopeless - Google provide no help, and no way to email them, and doing a search for a means of cancelling the account came up with nothing. I opened the account because I needed a temporary contact while I changed my ISP. That done, I no longer need it. Cancelling your ISP is a simple matter of calling the Help Desk (unless it uses an 0870 number), and cancelling a bank account just means visiting the branch (never get an online only bank account), but cancelling a free email service is like trying the cancel your brain.
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Lately I'm seeing more and more banner ads by euroclick on various websites that I visit. The ad blocking feature of Norton Internet Security 2006 is totally ineffective in blocking these ads. These ads and others like them (such as Ads By Google)only serve to annoy the website visitor and cheapen what are otherwise nicely put together and run websites. I contacted one webmaster of a site I visit on a regular basis, and in his reply he said he was unaware of these euroclick ads showing up on his website - as to the truthfulness of his statement, well who knows? A scan of my computer shows no adware, no spyware and no virus issues whatsoever. FYI, I run Norton Internet Security 2006, Boomerang Software's Guardian Anti-Spy and Tenebril Spycatcher concurrently. To the software company who comes up with adware blocking software that get rid of these pains in the xxxx ads, I will buy a steak and lobster dinner!
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P.S.
I'm paying £19:99 a month less for this service which includes Talk than I was for Platinum @ £29.99 per month.
I'm paying £19:99 a month less for this service which includes Talk than I was for Platinum @ £29.99 per month.
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I have now changed my service provider and so far have had everything delivered on time,set up on time have a reasonable connection speed (5.12 Mbs constant) which I have not been lied to about and when I have had to contact customer service have found them polite helpfull and knowledgable.
I still get spam,who doesn't? but at resonable levels and the content is normal advertising not unsolicited porn.Any spam is marked as spam and any dodgy atachments removed.I was also supplied with McAfee security suite at a reduced price as an option and it was nice to talk to my sister in New Zealand yesterday at no charge as well as calls in this country free.
Good grief I sound like a salsperson.But it is so nice to have an ISP that at least tries to supply a resonable service unlike my previous one.
I still get spam,who doesn't? but at resonable levels and the content is normal advertising not unsolicited porn.Any spam is marked as spam and any dodgy atachments removed.I was also supplied with McAfee security suite at a reduced price as an option and it was nice to talk to my sister in New Zealand yesterday at no charge as well as calls in this country free.
Good grief I sound like a salsperson.But it is so nice to have an ISP that at least tries to supply a resonable service unlike my previous one.
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No use arguing with ISPs over service,they have had their own way over non service now for so long that they just dig their heels in and treat their customers with total indifference.Take their money and to hell with providing a good service.
If one came along who offered a good honest service that gave you what they claimed at the start with good knowledgable technical help when needed at a reasonable price,then they would be inundated with new customers clamouring to be connected.Unfortunately the majority of comments I have heard about the majour ISPs have been just the opposite.How soon can I get off here and get another supplier?
If one came along who offered a good honest service that gave you what they claimed at the start with good knowledgable technical help when needed at a reasonable price,then they would be inundated with new customers clamouring to be connected.Unfortunately the majority of comments I have heard about the majour ISPs have been just the opposite.How soon can I get off here and get another supplier?
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The latest thing from AOL is that if I receive spam emails from AOL users,AOL will help but if it comes from The Internet Mail? then I have to handle it myself.I quote "Send a mail to the senders Postmaster and ask them not to send it" and put the sender on a blocked senders list.In other words sort it out yourself we just want your money.After telling me to forward these malicious emails on, they now tell me not to unless they are from AOL users (which they're not).
AOL have just sent me a customer service survey to complete,that should be fun!
AOL have just sent me a customer service survey to complete,that should be fun!
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